One Shot Mythology Stories

The Untold Story of Bakunawa, the moon-eater

Napayakap ako sa aking sarili at bahagyang nanginig sa lamig ng temperatura sa paligid.

I guess my light brown long sleeves turtle neck top, paired with dark brown jeans and tiger boots isn't enough to not feel the coldness in my surroundings. Oh, not to mention the brown fur coat I am wearing, geez.

"Guys andiyan na si Ma'am!"

"Sh*t! Bilisan mo baka tayo maabutan!"

"Badtrip, akala ko pa naman hindi na siya papasok eh."

Napangiti na lang ako sa bulungan ng mga estudyante pagkatapos akong makitang naglalakad papalapit sa aking silid aralan.

I can't blame them though 'cause I came to school late.

Napasimangot ako nang muling maalala ang pagkabwisit ko sa alarm clock na hindi tumunog kanina. Mukhang napasaram pa naman ang tulog ko sa lamig ng panahon.

I immediately stop right before the door of my classroom. We teachers, must always smile in front of our students no matter what we are going through. Kaya inayos ko muna ang aking ngiti bago pumasok sa loob at sinalubong ang tahimik na klase.

"Okay class, do you know what is today?" I asked them while taking off my coat.

I know mukhang sabungan 'tong classroom bago nila ako makitang papalapit at nakakatawang isipan ang pagkataranta nila noong makita ako. I mean I was like them also when I was a student before.

Pagkatapos kong mailagay ang coat sa gilid humarap ako sa mga studyanteng humigit kumulang tatlongpu at magandang tanawin ang suot nilang uniporme na puti ang pang itaas at itim and pang ibaba.

"Anyone?" ulit kong tanong dahil wala ni isa ang nagtaas ng kamay. Jusko mukha ba akong nangangain ng tao?

My eyes were turned at the back after I saw a student raising her hand. It's a girl having a long silky black long hair that covers half of her face.

"Yes beautiful girl?" tawag ko sa kaniya habang nakangiti.

"Friday," malamig na usal nito kaya nagtaka ako pero ngumiti kalaunan at tumingin sa buong klase pagkatapos ay nagsalita.

"And friday means?"

Biglang nagliwanag ang mukha nila at sabay-sabay na sumigaw.

"STORY TELLING!" they yelled in excitement.

They never forget what we're doing every friday, well that's good. But it's not a simple story telling 'cause it's about the Filipino Mythology. I mean who doesn't love stories about gods and goddesses, right?

"Sshh! Okay so can anyone give me name(s) from Philippine Mythology then another one will tell a story behind that name(s)," I instructed them then my smile became wider after most of them raised their hands.

I look around and called randomly.

"Mayari and Bakunawa ma'am."

"Good choice you may sit, thank you. So-" I was interrupted when the girl who answered me the word 'Friday' raised her hand again.

"Y-yes?" medyo kinakabahan kong tawag sa kaniya.

Her stares are too much to handle, to be honest. It looks like she is ready to kill someone with those cold yet peaceful color of her eyes that match with the calm blue sky during summer season.

"I will tell the story," aniya kaya muli akong ngumiti at tumango bago senyasan siya na pumunta sa harapan.

Maybe that's just her normal stares so I just shrugged my shoulders and after she went at the front, I sit at the nearest seat to hear the story she's about to tell.

Tumikhim muna siya bago magsimulang magsalita. Napakunot ang noo ko dahil mukhang nakalimutan niya ata ang kaniyang ikukuwento o hindi niya kayang ibahagi ang kuwento na kaniyang nalalalaman.

I was going to stand up when she started talking so I just adjusted my seat and listen.

"Long time ago, the night was as bright as the day because of the seven moons and were guarded and protected by four guardians. Two of those are Bakunawa and Mayari-" I cut her off 'cause I heard something's off with what she stated "-I'm sorr, but I think Mayari is the Goddess of the moon, right? Not the guardian of it. Also Bakunawa is the moon eater not a guardian."

"Can you let me finish ma'am?" blanko nitong sagot kaya wala sa sariling napatango ako.

Maybe we just heard different story about Bakunawa and Mayari.

"Bakunawa and Mayari were very close before to the point that Bakunawa treated Mayari as his sister. One day, when Bathala the Supreme God of everything fall into a deep slumber, Mayari went to Apolaki and showed him a proposal. But the god of; sun, wisdom, strategy and chief patron of warriors didn't like it, he fought with Mayari and it was one of the historical war between Gods."

She took a deep breath before continuing. Her story is actually interesting especially that I never heard it before.

"Because of that fight, Mayari's one eye was destroyed and that war resulted to her defeat. When the night comes, Bakunawa found out that something bad had happened to the Goddess of the moon because the light of the night is not that bright as the usual. So because of anger he ate the six moons resulting to Bathala's awakeness then the king of the gods told humans to make noise for the moon eater to go away...the end."

After the last word came out from her mouth the bell rang causing my students to exclaimed in joy. Recess time indeed.

"O-okay class dismissed," tulala kong turan at nagtakbuhan naman sila palabas.

As a mythology lover or those people who are inlove with those stories pertaining to Gods and Goddesses, the story that girl told us keeps on running in my mind.

I know, something's off with that story. Deeper meaning behind those words.

Mabilis na bumaling ang tingin ko sa studyanteng naglalakad papunta sa likod para ayusin ang kaniyang mga gamit.

I stood up and wait for her at the door of this classroom then moments later I saw her walking towards my direction.

This is my chance to ask her kaya hinarangan ko siya bago magsalita.

"Uhm, can I ask where did you read that story?" seryoso kong tanong sa kaniya dahilan para mapahinto ito at tumingin sa malayo.

"You humans judged a picture by its angle," malamig nitong sagot.

Kumunot noo ko dahil sa sagot niya ngunit muli siyang nagsalita.

"The humans only know about Bakunawa being the moon-eater without knowing why he did that," dagdag niya at muling naglakad kaya wala akong nagawa kung'di ang gumilid.

I shivered because before she pass me, the wind strike her hair that covers half of her face, revealing her whole face's figure.

Then there I saw the long scratch placed at her left eye.



~*~
Ps: photo not mine CTTRO